Game



IN VEN TOR.

ALGiR n. KAZAA/f wcf/ BY July 24, 1962 A A KAZAKEVlCH 3,046,017

GAME

Filed Nov. 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 d u IN VEN TOR..

Aam-A' A. #Aznxiwc/r ATTORIVA'YS United States Patent "i 3,046,01 GAME Alger A. Kazalrevich, 15750 Pinehurst, Detroit 38, Mich. Filed Nov. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 854,977 4 Ciairns. (Cl. 273-130) This invention relates to a game which may be played by a plurality of players. The game shown is one in which two players would play, one on each side.

An object is to provide a game of this general character wherein opposed players have a game board disposed between them which board exhibits adjacent to its opposite ends two opposed playing board areas. These two playing board areas are separated one from the other by an upright wall or partition disposed between the two playing areas and substantially midway between the ends of the board. Each playing area is adapted to support a plurality of game pieces.. Each playing board area exhibits a plurality of -apertures extending through the board. Each playing board area has au electric circuit associated therewith. A plurality of electromagnetic devices are connected in each circuit one device adjacent to each of a plurality of apertures through the board. The game pieces supported upon each playing field area adjacent to certain determined apertures are adapted 'to be displaced by plungers projected through said apertures from selected electromagnetic devices.

The game shown might be termed a naval or battleship game in which opposed fleets of ships were` engaged. Individual game pieces represent individual shi-ps.

The electric circuit for each playing board area has its switch control mechanism disposed adjacent to the opposite end of the board so that it is under the control of the opponent at such opposite end of the board. Each contestant is, therefore, according to the rules of the game, enabled to upset or disturb the ships on the playing field area of his opponent. The skill of a contestant in so arranging his ships and in so selecting individual electromagnetic devices underneath the playing board area of his opponent to disturb opponents ships determines the outcome of the game.

An object, therefore, is the provision of ra game where in a game board is provided with playing board areas adjacent to its opposite ends between which areas a viewobstructing wall is provided so that the arrangement of game pieces upon `one contestants area cannot be observed by his opponent; and where electric control and actuating machanism is provided associated with but underneath each playing board area by means of which each contestants game pieces may be hit or disturbed by his opponent.

Another object is the provision of a game of the character above set forth wherein each playing board area is provided with a plurality of apertures extending therethrough which apertures. may be `arranged in succession in spaced-apart rows, and wherein electromagnetically controlled plungers disposed beneath the board in association with determined `apertures may be projected upwardly through said apertures at the will of each contestants opponent and according to predetermined rules, so as to contact or upset a contestants game pieces.

Another object is the provision of a game of the character generally hereinabove described wherein certain sections of the playing board, areas provided with apertures are not provided with electromagnetic devices lreciprocable therethrough to disturb game pieces located above the apertures.

An important object is, it will be seen, the provision of a game of the character specified wherein electromagnetically controlled plungers are selectively driven upwardly through associated apertures above the upper surface of 3,046,017 Patented July 24, 1962 ICC the playing board area to upset the game. pieces disposed over said apertures and which game pieces might be in the configuration of small ships to place such game pieces out of action.

Another `object is the provision in a game of the character specified of means to indicate whether either contestant is endeavoring to cheat his opponent by moving or playing at a time when such contestant: is not supposed to do so.

`Other objects, advantages, and meritorious features will more fully rappear from .the following description, claims, and accompanying drawings wherein;

FIG. 1 is a plan of a game `board illustrating one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional View taken on the line 2 2 of FIG. l;v

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective of a portion of the game board along the line of the upright partition and showing such partition spaced above the upper surface of the game boa-rd;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken through the board on the partition showing a portion of an electric circuit associated therewith on the line 4 4 of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 isa diagrammatic plan `of a portion of the wiring diagram disposed underneath the game board and illustrating switch mechanism to which the electric circuit of the wiring diagram is responsive;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of ship bottom.

In FIG. l the upper surface of the game board 10 is shown. Such game board is shown at 10 in FIG. 2. It is the top surface board or lid of a box-like enclosure shown in FIG. 2 and the bottom of which is indicated as 12 and the side walls as 14. It is understood that such box-like enclosure could embody the rectangular shape shown in FIG. l. The side walls and top and bottom boards might be formed of wood, plastic, or any other suitable material. The lid or top surface board 1t) is provided with the playing board area adjacent to each of the two opposite ends of the board. Such playing board areas are separated as shown in FIG. l by a partition or upright wall 16. This Wall may be located as shown substantially midway between the two ends of the board and is preferably removable as shown. The wall has such a height that when mounted upon the --board it obstructs each playing board area from the view of the opposite playing board area.

Each of these two playing board areas is provided with a plurality of apertures le extending completely therethrough as shown in FIG. 2. These apertures are illustrated as arranged in spaced-apart rows. Seven rows of apertures are shown extending generally parallel to the partition 16. Each row includes six apertures. It is apA parent that such number of apertures and such number of rows as were found most suitable might be employed.

A plurality of game pieces indicated as 20 are provided for each contestant and his playing board area. Such number of game pieces as are desired may be employed. As shown, they are designed to represent ship models or the like adapted to be supported upon the upper surface of the game board over selected apertures, as the game illustrated is a naval game.

An electric circuit is associated with each playing board area. 'I'hese two circuits are similar. One circuit diagram is shown in FIG. 5. The opposite circuit diagram would be complementary and connected therewith. These circuits will be hereinafter described but it is understood that each circuit is provided with a plurality of electromagnetic devices associated one with each of a selected plurality of apertures in the game board area with which the circuit is associated. FIG. 2 illustrates such an electromagnetic device in the form of a solenoid having a coil Ztl encircling a core 22 and which core extends up through and is securely held within an aperture 18 in the board lil thereby supporting the electromagnetic device below the board and directly aligned with the aperture. Each electrical magnetic device includes a plunger 24 reciprocable through the core of the solenoid. The plunger 24 has a weighted head 26 on its lower end. 'Ihe weight of the plunger normally holds it in the solid line position shown in FIG. 2 below the upper surface of the game board.

When the coil 20 of any solenoid is energized by closing the electric circuit within which the coil is connected, the plunger 24 associated with such coil will be elevated to project it upwardly through the aperture and above the top surface of the board, as shown in dotted outline. If a game piece, such as a ship 26, is supported upon the board over the aperture, such ship ywill be upset by the upward movement of the plunger 24. Leads 23 are shown as extending away from opposite ends of the coil of the solenoid.

Referring now t` the schematic wiring diagram illustrated in FIG. 5, there is indicated at 36 a conventional dry cell battery. Six small batteries provide suitable power. Such electrical energy might be supplied from a conventional 1Z0-volt commercial circuit through a conventional transformer. A negative lead extends: at 32 away from one end of the 'battery and a positive lead at 34 away from the opposite end of the battery. The leads 34 and 32 extend to a similar wiring assembly located underneath the opposite end portion of the board. Lead 34 extends as a line 36 to a main control switch 38 which might Ibe termed the tiring switch. From the opposite end of the switch, lead 36a extends to a selector switch 40. From such opposite end of the switch a lead 37 extends to the light 66 from which light a wire 39 extends to lead 32 completing the circuit.

The lead 32 is com-mon to a series of six parallel leads 42, 44, 46, 4S, S0', and 52. Each of these six leads extends Vfrom the common lead 32 through a row of six electromagnetic devices, which may be solenoids 54. Each electromagnetic device of the thirty-six shown in FIG. has a lead 56 extending therefrom to the selector switch shown in FIG. 5. Such selector switch is shown as having thirtysix contacts, one for each electromagnetic device, each one of which is indicated by the numeral 5S. The pointer 60 of the selector switch is pivotally supported so that it may be swung to bridge between any one of the thirty-six contacts 58 and a metallic pivot 62 upon which the pointer is mounted to bring such electromagnetic device into the circuit.

The main control or iire control switch 3S will close any one of the circuits which has been established through any selected electromagnetic device by operation of the selector switch 46. When such control switch 3S is manipulated to close the circuit the selected electromagnet will be energized and upon energization will activate the plunger 24 to propel the same upwardly through the board lil to a position thereabove to upset a game piece such as a miniature ship 26 as shown in FIG. 2.

At 66 in FIG. 5 is shown a signal device which may be an electric light 66 mounted within the parti-tion or upright Wall 16 as shown in FIG. 3. One of these lights 66 is `shown in each circuit. Leads 63 extend from these lights to metal pins 70 carried by the partition board as shown in FIG. 3. These pins extend through apertures 72 and a spring contact 74 is in each circuit so that one light 66 is in one circuit and the other light 66 is in the opposite circuit. One light 66 might be red to indicate the red fleet circuit and the other light 66 might be blue to indicate the blue fleet circuit. It is apparent that whenever either circuit is closed by closing the switch 3S the light for `such circuit would be energized and visible to both opponents because such light is visible on both sides of the partition.

As shown in FIG. l there are seven rows of apertures on either side of the partition I6. In the wiring diagram of FIG. 5, six rows of electromagnetic `devices are indicated as B, C, D, E, F, and G. These rows B, C, D, E, F, and G are shown in FIG. l but it will be seen that in FIG. l there is a row A immediately adjacent to the partition of aprtures. This row A is not provided with electromagnets. It is provided with apertures but such represents a safe area. When ships are disposed within this safe area, they are free from attack.

In the operation of the device a contestant sets the selector switch at his end of the board, which controls the solenoids of his opponent at the opposite end of the board, to any position he elects. In other words, he elects a particular electromagnet to be placed in the circuit. Such contestant would then actuate the control switch 38 and this would close the circuit through the elected selector switch position and the plunger of such solenoid would be projected upwardly. Assuming a game piece is disposed over the aperture of such plunger, such game piece would be contacted and/ or tipped over and would thereby be considered as put out of commission.

A modified form of ship bottom is shown in FIG. 6, where the bottom of the ship is provided with a small dimple 73 which is seated within whatever aperture the ship is over. When a solenoid plunger 24 is projected upwardly, it strikes such dimple and upsets the ship even though the plunger did'not project all the way through the board.

The rules of the game and the number of game pieces and the value of such game pieces would be established `as desired. A satisfactory arrangement would be to provide fourteen ships for each iieet. Such fleet might consist of four submarines, four cruisers, two destroyers, two aircraft carriers, and two battleships-fourteen in all. These ships Imight have different values in the way of points. -In other words, a submarine might have a value of two points and such might be the value for a cruiser and a destroyer, but an aircraft carrier might have a value of three points, as might a battleship.

The rules might provide that the number of players should be limited to two and that every ship must be placed by its player over an aperture in the playing board area at his end of the board, except that in initiating the game he would not be allowed to place any such ship within the safe area of row A.

The object of the game would be to sink the fleet of ones opponent by selecting the correct positions of the vessels in such eet on the selector switch and to accomplish such before ones own fleet Vwas destroyed.

By mutual agreement, or in any other suitable way, one contestant would be allowed to start first. Should such contestant miss and not hit any ship of his opponent, such opponent would then be given a shot. Should a hit occur, the one making the -hit is entitled to move one space in any direction but backwards. Should he move into section A, bonus shots could be awarded depending on the type of ship that entered section A.

A ship in section A, after firing, must be moved into some other section on the board. After tiring and scoring a hit on ones opponent, one get-s the same number of shots for the type of ship one sank as though ones opponent had reached section A with that particular ship. For example, if one sank a cruiser, that cruiser, if it would have reached section A, would have been worth two extra shots. Therefore, if one sank it, he would be entitled to those shots plus whatever ship of his own had reached section A, such as an aircraft carrier, which isk worth three shots, thus making a total of five shots.

The rules might include that any ship one hit with a bonus shot entitled such a one to that many more shots. After ones bonus shots are gone, one must wait until his opponent iires his shot before he gets another shot.

What I claim is:

1. A game comprising a game' board having two sepan rate opposed similar playing board areas separated one from the other by a vision-obstructing partition whereby one playing board area cannot be viewed from the opposite playing board area, each of said two opposed playing board areas provided with a plurality of spaced-apart apertures extending upwardly through the board; an electric circuit associated with each playing board area and having a plurality of electromagnetic devices, one device Vfor each aperture of a plurality of apertures of said area, each electromagnetic device individually connected in the circuit, each electromagnetic device supported adjacent the underside lof the board underneath an apenture' through the board and comprising a solenoid coil having a plunger reciprocable therein which plunger registers with the aperture through the board underneath which aperture it is disposed, whereby upon energization of the device the plunger is projected upwardly through the aperture to strike a game piece on the upper surface of the board above said aperture; selector switch mechanism in each circuit operable to connect one at a time each electromagnetic device in the circuit therein, each selector switch mechanism disposed adjacent to that end of the board remote from the end with which its circuit is associated; and a control switch in each circuit associated with the end of the board remote from the circuit and operable to make the circuit through the particular electromagnetic device connected by the selector 4switch in the circuit, and a plurality of game pieces for each playing board area, each of said pieces adapted to be supported upon its playing board area over an aperture therethrough.

2. A game comprising a game board having two separate opposed playing board areas adjacent to the `two opposite ends of the board, said two opposed playing board areas separated one from the other by 'a vision-obstructing upright partition whereby one playing board area cannot be viewed from the opposite playing board area, each of said two opposed playing board areas provided with a plurality of spaced-apart rows of apertures extending substantially parallel to the vision-obstructing partition; an electric `circuit associated with each of said two opposed playing board areas and having a plurality of electromagnetic devices connected therein, each of said electrorrragnetic devices comprising an electric coil and a plunger reciprocable within the coil upon energization of the coil, one electromagnetic device for each aperture in each row except that row of apertures of each playing board area most close to the partition; each of said electromagnetic devices supported adjacent to the underside of the board and adjacent lto the aperture for such device with the plunger longitudinally aligned with ysaid aperture so that the plunger of the device may oe projected upwardly through said aperture upon energization of the coil of said device; a selector switch adjacent to each end ot the board having a lead extending to each electromagnetic device of the playing board larea adjacent -to the opposite end of the board, said selector switch operable to place one at a time each of said electromagnetic devices in the playing board area adjacent to the opposite end of the board in the circuit; a control switch adjacent to each end of the board `and operable to close the circuit through each electromagnetic device in the playing board area adjacent to the opposite end `of the board to energize the coil and project the plunger associated with said coil upwardly through the aperture in the board, and a plurality of individual game pieces for each playing board 6 area, each of said game pieces adapted to be individually placed over an individual aperture of said playing board area to be acted upon by the plunger of the electromagnetic devices shiftable through said aperture.

3. A game comprising `a game board having two separate opposed similar playing board areas adjacent to opposite ends of the board, said two opposed playing board areas separated one from the other by a vision-obstructing upright partition whereby one playing board area cannot `be viewed from the `opposite playing lboard area, each of said two `opposed playing board areas provided with a plurality of spaced-apart rows of apertures disposed adjacent an end of the board; `an electric circuit associated with each of said two playing board areas and having a plurality yof electromagnetic devices connected individually therein, leach of said electromagnetic devices comprising an electric coil `and a plunger reciprocable within the coil upon energization and deenergization of the coil, one electromagnetic device for each apenture of a predetermined selected number of apertures in each playing board area, the plunger of each magnetic device 'being disposed within its coil for movement normal to the plane of the board and into and out of its aperture through the board; each of said electromagnetic devices supported adjacent to the underside of the board and adjacent to the laperture for such device so that the plunger of the device may be projected upwardly through said aperture upon energization of the coil of said device; a selector switch adjacent to each end of the board having a lead extending therefrom to each electromagnetic device of the playing board area adjacent to fthe opposite end of the board, said selector switch operable to place one at a time each of said electromagnetic devices in the playing board larea adjacent to the opposite end of the `board in the circuit; a control switch adjacent to each end of the `board and operable to close the circuit through each electromagnetic device in the playing board `area adjacent to the opposite end of the board to energize its coil land project its plunger upwardly through the aperture in the board to displace a game piece mounted over said aperture; the plunger of each electromagnetic device `adapted to drop down concurrently with de-energization of the circuit through the device; and a plurality of individual game pieces tor each playing board area adapted to be individually placed over individual apertures in said playing board area to be acted upon by the pungers of the electromagnetic devices shiftable through said apertures, and an electric signal device disposed Iwithin each circuit visible to both play board areas and responsive to be activated upon the closing of the circuit therethrough.

4. A game defined as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that each game piece -is provided with la dimple on its bottom area which dimple is receivable within the upper end `of an aperture through the board to position the game piece on the board.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,295,436 Cogswell Feb. 25, 1919 2,512,820 Bader .Tune 27, 1950 2,898,108 Meyer Aug. 4, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 471,041 Italy May 2, 1952 

